Chapter 425: The Truth Behind the Legend
Laughter echoed beneath the wooden pavilion.
After nine years, the three of them reunited once again, still maintaining a carefree and relaxed demeanor.
After finishing the tea in his cup, Jiu Mie cast a sidelong glance at Lu Heng and said, "Speaking of which, after nine years of not seeing each other, it seems that Friend Lu Heng has undergone a profound transformation, advancing in his cultivation."
Lu Heng, not one to be modest, nodded with a smile and said, "Compared to my past self nine years ago, I have indeed made tremendous breakthroughs. It was not in vain that I dedicated countless nights and days to relentless cultivation over the past nine years."
The current Lu Heng, at last, was able to enter the celestial palace within the realm of visualization.
Although he could see the enigmatic Cloud Sea Sky Palace floating within the expanse of the cloud sea, he was unable to touch, reach, or enter it. Every attempt to enter was met with an intangible barrier that kept him at bay.
However, after years of arduous cultivation, Lu Heng finally dispersed the outermost mist and successfully stepped onto the vast avenue beyond the heaven door.
Even though Lu Heng still could not enter the palace hidden in the clouds at the end of this avenue, for Lu Heng, being able to enter the celestial palace, even if it was just the outermost part of the expansive avenue, was a significant breakthrough.
After exchanging brief nostalgic conversations under the pavilion, the three of them decided to depart.
On this occasion, Lu Heng didn't bring Xiao Ai along, leaving her behind in the mountains.
Naturally, the Heavenly Thunder Sword was also not brought along.
This journey to Sanxian Island on the sea is meant for paying a visit to the Dragon Palace, not engaging in fights and conflicts. There is no need to carry the Heavenly Thunder Sword around. Lu Heng and his companions, Jiu Mie and Candle Dragon, have an agreement that if they encounter a situation that requires action, it will be Jiu Mie and Candle Dragon who intervene, in order to avoid revealing Lu Heng's identity as the Wolf God of Hanyu Mountain.
With these two top-notch fighters accompanying him, Lu Heng doesn't need the Heavenly Thunder Sword to protect himself, and he mustn't wield the Heavenly Thunder Sword recklessly.
In the event that the heavenly thunder flashes, attracting the Dragon Emperor's special attention… even if Lu Heng truly encounters any situation alone, the Heaven's Divination Nine Swords are sufficient to protect him.
Going to a place like the Dragon Palace, which poses special danger, with the hidden Heavenly Thunder Sword, carries invisible risks.
And so, atop Hanyu Mountain, under the watchful gaze of Xiao Ai, Candle Dragon conjured a gust of eerie wind and dark clouds, carrying Lu Heng and Jiu Mie away.
Although Sanxian Island on the sea is far, the three of them are not in a hurry to travel, so there is no need for swift flight. Instead, they let the knowledgeable Candle Dragon drive the eerie wind and dark clouds towards the east, while they stood on the cloud tops, overlooking the heavens, earth, mountains, and rivers, appreciating the heroes from all directions, enjoying a leisurely and joyful experience.
On the second day, the eerie wind and dark clouds, where the three were situated, departed from the borders of the Fire Pass Country and entered the maritime waters of the Eastern Sea.
Casting their gaze ahead, the boundless sea unfolds, vast and expansive. On the sea, numerous boats compete and maritime transport thrives, bustling with activity. However, as we continue our journey eastward, distancing ourselves from the coastline, the color of the ocean gradually turns deep and profound.
The number of boats on the sea surface becomes increasingly scarce, while the territories of those overseas nations we witness are astonishingly vast, one outdoing the other.
The vastness of the territories of many Eastern Sea nations is even larger than a continent in Lu Heng's previous life. However, here, they are still referred to as islands.
After all, compared to the land associated with these islands, it is equally staggering in size.
Meanwhile, Candle Dragon casually mentioned some interesting anecdotes about the Eastern Sea, including the custom of the Dragon Clan's centennial rotation.
In the current Celestial Desolation Realm, most places enjoy favorable weather conditions, all thanks to the Dragon Clan. Although dragons are elusive and seldom seen even by cultivators in the mortal world, the existence of the Dragon Clan is indeed real.
Every hundred years, the Dragon Clan dispatches a group of immensely powerful dragon beings, possessing extraordinary cultivation, capable of roaming and exerting influence in the outside world. Before setting off, these dragon beings have already predetermined their respective routes for dispersing rain.
Following the Dragon Clan's customs, they are required to traverse the entire Celestial Desolation Realm within a hundred-year period, with their rain-dispensing journey spanning across the four seas. Only then can they return to the Dragon Palace.
Speaking of this, Candle Dragon paused for a moment and said, "Therefore, the reason why dragons are elusive and rarely seen in the mortal world is not only because they deliberately avoid mingling with mortal beings, but also because they are too busy and lack leisure to stay and play."
"The Celestial Desolation Realm, how vast it is! Even with a hundred years at hand, it is still a challenging task to make one's footsteps cover the four seas. The dragon beings who roam and dispense rain spend most of their time travelling and passing through rain-dispensing along the way."
"Therefore, they have no time to linger, making it difficult for ordinary people to catch a glimpse of their true form."
Candle Dragon revealed the true legend behind the often elusive nature of divine dragons in the mortal world.
Upon hearing this, both Lu Heng and Jiu Mie were greatly astonished, experiencing a sense of shattered illusions.
In Lu Heng's heart, the dragon beings before were an incredibly mysterious race. After all, in a world filled with cultivators, the dragon beings were still able to remain unknown, which made their race's mystique truly captivating and enticing.
However, he never could have imagined that the elusive truth was actually like this…
Jiu Mie shook his head and sighed, saying, "The actions of the dragon clan are truly peculiar… Why must they insist that every dragon being must venture across the four seas? Is there some special reason behind it?"
Jiu Mie's inquiry made the Candle Dragon smile and nod, saying, "Indeed, there is a special reason."
"Actually, many migrating ethnic groups in the world have their reasons."
"The dragons traverse the world, not only to bring rain and blessings to all beings, but also to patrol the winds across the four seas, guarding against any covert infiltrations from beyond the borders."
"That group of enemies from beyond the borders may only appear on a large scale during the Earthly Catastrophe, but during normal times, there are also wicked individuals who, through various magical techniques, manage to cross the world barriers and infiltrate the Celestial Desolation Realm."
"The Earthly Catastrophe is a collective hunt established by several realms. During that time, the life essence was almost entirely harvested by top cultivators, while weaker individuals and younger generations could only scrape together a meager share in the midst of the Earthly Catastrophe."
"However, if these insignificant individuals can cross over to the Celestial Desolation Realm before the Earthly Catastrophe, then they will possess all the harvested life essence for themselves, reaping immense benefits. Therefore, it is not necessarily peaceful within the Celestial Desolation Realm before the Earthly Catastrophe arrives."
"Not only do local demons harm living beings, but also petty individuals from beyond the borders secretly cause trouble."
"The descendants of the dragon clan traverse the world, which includes patrolling the winds across the four seas. If they detect any infiltrations by petty individuals from beyond the borders, they promptly intervene and eliminate them."
While Candle Dragon spoke, he looked at Lu Heng and said, "The Li Tribe, which has a deep friendship with Friend Lu Heng, also shares similar customs."
"They migrated and roamed between heaven and earth, the nine major tribes did. They sought out places that were most likely to serve as entry points for petty individuals from beyond the borders, and they settled there. Likewise, they remained vigilant against the arrival of enemies from beyond the borders."
"Until the spatial stability of that area is achieved, they will remain there, settling at the next anchor point only after."
The customs of the Li Tribe, as narrated by Candle Dragon, left Lu Heng slightly astonished.
The reason for the constant migration of the Li Tribe, is it really this?
Moreover, the Wind Strike Department had just recently relocated to Hanyu Mountain…
Luckily, when Lu Heng crossed over, the Wind Strike Department had not yet arrived. If it had been a couple of years later, Lu Heng might have just opened his eyes in this world, only to witness a formidable group of the Li Tribe charging towards him, ready to tear him apart…
